Temple Appoints New Advisor

President Theobald has appointed a new advisor to strengthen Temple’s compliance efforts, with an emphasis on diversity, equity, and Title IX.

Valerie H. Harrison had been named the senior advisor to the president for compliance. She has been serving as  senior associate university counsel at Temple.

Under the new position, she will create a team to focus on and strengthen the university’s initiative. She will also appoint a Title IX coordinator to create better resources related to sexual assaults.

The Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance, responsible for the university’s nondiscrimination policy and Affirmative Action program, will report to Harrison. Tiffenia Archie, appointed assistant vice president of the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, Advocacy, and Leadership (IDEAL), will also report to her. The hope is that they will create a stronger community of inclusion at Temple.

Harrison is an attorney with over 20 years of leadership in higher education. She has many years of experience with university counsels. Harrison has served as associate counsel at Temple for more than a decade, vice president for legal affairs at Acadia University, and acting President of Lincoln University.

In an interview with Temple, Harrison said,  “I am committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment at Temple where everyone feels free to study, live and participate in our community.” She went on to say, “Combining the university’s resources, reporting and resolution of harassment and compliance issues under one umbrella will help us more efficiently address challenges and build awareness among all constituents.”